Grove heater



GROVE HEATER FIG.

INVENTOR. CASIMER M. CZARNECKI ATTORNEYS O 0000i '0000.0 '90000.'. l

July s, 196s F'ibd Aug. 5. 1966 July 9 1968 c. M. czARNEcKl 3,391,683

GROVE HEATER Filed Aug. 3, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 E 24 mvENToR.

cAsIm-:n u. czARnecxl 2' www ATTQRNEYS` July 9, 1968 C. M. CZARNECK. 3,391,683v

GROVE HEATER Filed Aug. 5, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. CASIMER M. CZRNECKI BY Mallo/MJ Vm ATTRNEYJ July 9, 1.968 c. M. czARNEcKI GROVE HEATER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 5. 1966 NVENTOR.

CSIMER M. CZRNECKI BY MMM! Vn@ ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,391,683 GROVE HEATER Casimer M. Czarnecki, Jenkintown, Pa., assigner to General Precision Inc., Little Falls, NJ., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 3, 1966, Ser. No. 569,970 4 Claims. (Cl. 12o- 595) This invention relates to heating devices, and is especially concerned with grove heaters, as may be employed in the heating of a grove of fruit trees, and the like.

As is well known to those versed in the art, it has heretofore been conventional to employ smudge pots in the heating of citrus-fruit groves, and the like, to resist the effects of cold weather. Such practice is obviously only a diiiicult and unsatisfactory expedient, involving high labor costs and producing only unreliable results. It has heretofore been proposed to provide grove heaters supplied from a central fuel source to avoid the need for smudge pots, but such prior grove-heating devices were relatively difficult to use, both in the ignition or lighting thereof, and in the maintenance of continued combustion. For example, the winds in many grove regions are of highly variable direction and strength, so that prior grove heaters were often blown out by the wind, resulting in considerable loss of fuel, as well as fuel saturation of the ground and permanent damage or destruction to the trees.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a grove-heater construction which overcomes the above-mentioned difiiculties, is extremely easy to use, a multiple of heaters being supplied from a central source having a convenient central control.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a unique highly improved grove-heater construction having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, which is relatively simple in structure, and wherein blowout or extinction of the heater is substantially eliminated, to insure durable, economical and reliable operation throughout a long useful life.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating one embodiment of grove heater constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the grove heater of FIGURE l, partly broken away for clarity;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view illustrating a slightly modified embodiment of the grove heater of FIGURES l and 2, also partly broken away;

FIGURE 4 is a partial side elevational view showing another slightly modified embodiment of the present invention, also partly broken away for clarity;

FIGURE 5 is a partial sectional elevational View illustrating a variation of nozzle for use in the grove heater of the present invention;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational View, partly in section, showing a further embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 8 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 9 is a top perspective View, partly broken away, illustrating a further embodiment of the present invention.

Patented July 9, 1968 ICC Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIGURES l and 2 thereof, a grove heater of the present invention is illustrated in assembled condition in FIGURE 2 and there generally designated 20. The heater may include a lower support member 21, say in the form of a pipe fitting, for example, a T-fitting (as illustrated), elbow, or other. The lower support member or fitting 21 may be embedded in or rest on the ground, or other suitable supporting surface, ,as desired.

Upstanding from the lower support member or fitting 21 is a lower fluid connection means, generally designated 22, which may include a pipe or tube 23 having its lower end secured, as by threaded connection, to the support fitting 21 and communicable therethrough with a source of fuel supply, as by pipes 24. The lower fluid-connection means 22 further includes, on the upper end of pipe 23, a pipe fitting 2S, say a T-fitting as illustrated, or otherwise as will appear.

At least a pair of conduits or tubes 26 extend from a pair of the openings of fitting 29, say oppositely therefrom, and may be bent, as at 27 to upstand in substantial parallelism. The upper regions of conduits 26 are further bent, as at 28 to extend inward toward each other. interposed between the inwardly extending upper end portions of conduits 26 and connected thereto is an upper fluid-connection means, generally designated 30. The upper fluidconnection means may include a generally T-shaped pipe fitting, having opposite openings connected in fluid communication with respective conduits 26, and having its remaining opening depending into the space between the upstanding conduits. Connected to the depending opening of upper fluid-connection means 30 is a spray nozzle 31 having its outlet opening downwardly and into the space between the conduits 26.

It will now be appreciated that the fuel-supply conduits 24 communicate through the lower T-fitting 21 to the conduit or tube 23, which in turn passes fuel to the T-fitting 29, and thence the fuel, travels in parallel paths through the conduits 26 to the upper T-itting for discharge from the nozzle 3'1 and combustion in the space between the conduits 26.

Advantageously surrounding the nozzle 31 may be a heat-retaining, foramious cage 33. The cage 33 is best seen in the exploded condition of FIGURE l, as includ-ing an inverted cup-shaped upper end closure 34 having a central opening 35 receiving the depending neck of fitting 36 and retained thereon by the nozzle 31. An annular flange member 36 may be detachably secured to the upper end closure 34, as by threaded fasteners 37; and, a generally cylindrical screen or reticulate side wall 38 may depend from the flange 36, being suitably secured thereto, as by welding or otherwise, if desired. An upwardly facing lower end closure 39, also of cup-shaped configuration extends across and closes the lower end of cylindrical side wall 38, and an inverted cup-shaped member 4t) of foraminous material or screening may be seated on the lower end closure 39 having a generally horizontal wall portion extending across the lower region of cylindrical wall 38, spaced above the lower end closure 39. The lower end closure 39 may be welded, or otherwise fixed to the side wall 38, in any suitable manner.

In practice, a collection pan 42 may be circurnposed about the upstanding lower pipe 23, including a central hole 43 receiving the pipe 23, say for collecting unburned fuel from the nozzle 31. A locknut 44 may be threadedly engaged about the pipe 23 to firmly clamp the pan 42 in position.

In operation, a spray of fuel is discharged from nozzle 31, and upon ignition immediately burns in the general region of the cage 33. The cage serves ot retain heat in the region of the fuel spray from nozzle 31 to insure continued combustion thereof. Further, the heat of combustion is located between and adjacent to the upstanding conduits 26, to elevate the temperature of fuel moving upward therethrough, so that the fuel more closely' approaches its vaporization point and further insures complete and reliable combustion at the nozzle discharge.

While the cage 33 may be found advantageous under certain conditions, its use may be eliminated under other conditions, if desired. Even in the abs-ence of the cage 33, the combustion of fuel is located between the parallel feed conduits 26, so that the temperature of fuel is elevated and satisfactory combustion assured.

An important advantage of the present invention re sides in the effective vaporization of fuel at the nozzle discharge under all wind conditions. Thus, under wind conditions blowing the nozzle flame away from one of the conduits 26, the iiame is moved toward the other conduit to increase the heat thereof and compensate for movement of the tiame away from the first-mentioned conduit.

While apair of conduits 26 has been found satisfactory under most conditions of use, the nozzle tiame either being equidistant from both conduits, or more closely adjacent to one than the other, for effective vaporization in either case, a further embodiment is shown in FIGURE 3, wherein a greater number of such conduits are shown.

In the grove heater a of FIGURE 3 there are provided a plurality, namely six, of generally upstanding conduits 26a, corresponding to the conduits 26 of the first-described embodiment. The conduits 26a may be of generally U-shaped configuration, similar to that of the conduits 26, having upper and lower inwardly extending legs. An upper fluid-connection means or fitting 36a, corresponding to the fitting of the first-described embodiment, includes a plurality of radially outwardly opening ports or passageways, say six in number for respective connection to the upper ends of conduits 26a. A corresponding lower fluid-connection means or fitting (obscured in the drawing) is connected to the lower ends of the conduits 26a, and a depending nozzle, similar to the nozzle 31, depends into the space between the several conduits 26a.

Thus, the embodiment of FIGURE 3 may be essentially similar to that of FIGURES l and 2, except that the fuel passes through several parallel paths, as defined by the several conduits 26a, and thence to the nozzle for discharge and combustion. By this embodiment, the several conduits 26a combine to effectively define a cage in which combustion takes place. Here again, any direction or force of wind against the tiame only moves the flame closer to one or more of the parallel conduits 26a for increased vaporization of fuel owing therethrough.

Referring now to the embodiment of FIGURE 4, there is shown a grove heater there generally designated 20h including a collection member, pan or plate 42h supported by insulation over a transformer 46. A lower huid-connection means 22h, say in the form of a T-pipetting 25h may be supported on the pan 42b having a depending neck for connection to a source of fuel supply. A pair of opposite openings of T-fitting 25b may be connected to respective upstanding conduits 26h, as in the first-described embodiment, and a depending nozzle 3117 may be connected to the upper ends of the conduits 26h for discharge into the space between the conduits.

In addition, a pair of electrodes 47 may upstand from the transformer 46, through the insulation 45 and pan 42h to terminate in spaced relation proximate to the lower, discharge end of nozzle 3112. An arc may be struck between electrodes 47 for positive and convenient ignition of fuel discharged from the nozzle. Following ignition of the discharged fuel, operation is essentially the same as described hereinbefore.

While the nozzles employed in the various embodiments of the instant invention may be of various types, it may under certain circumstances be desirable to employ a mixing nozzle, say wherein air may be mixed with the fuel. Such a nozzle is shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 and there generally designated 31C. The nozzle 31e may include a T-shaped upper portion Sil for connection to respective conduits 26C including a depending passageway 51 communicating with a fuel-outlet orifice 52. The nozzle 31C is configured to provide a surrounding skirt 53 having a cap 54 secured thereon and combining with the skirt to define an annular chamber 55 An air-connection fitting S6 communicates between the interior of chamber SS and an air supply (not shown). A plurality of tangential grooves 57, see FIGURE 6, communicate between the annular chamber 5S and the orifice 52, the air passing through the passageways 57 to intimately mix with and disperse the fuel.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURES 7 and 8, a lower fluid-connection means 22a' includes a depending neck 60 adapted to upstand from a supply conduit (not shown). A cross part 61 extends across the upper region of neck 6i), and a nozzle 31a' upstands from the cross part '61, discharging upwardly, for a purpose appearing presently.

An inlet passageway 62 is formed in the neck 60, and communicates with one side of the cross part 61 through a passageway 63. A tube or conduit 26d has one end connected to one end of the cross part 61 in fiuid communication with the passageway 63, and extends generally upward.'

A similar conduit or tube 26d has one end connected to the cross part 61 remote from the first-mentioned conduit, and also extends generally upward. Upper fluidconnection means is generally designated 30d and extends between the upper ends of the conduits 26d. More specifically, the upper fluid-connection means may include a sinuous, or other configuration of conduit or tube affording a substantial surface area and having its opposite ends connected in fluid communication with respective upper ends of the conduits 26d. The lower end of one conduit 26d, the right-hand conduit as seen in FIGURE 7, communicates through a passageway 64 in the cross part 61 with the inlet side of nozzle 31d.

Thus, fuel flows inward through -the passageways 62 and 63, thence through the leftward conduits 26d, and sinuous upper fluid-connection means 30d, then passing downward through the rightward conduit 26d and thence through passageway 6e to nozzle 31d for discharge upward therefrom.

It will now be apparent that this is a series fluid connection between the fuel supply and nozzle 31d, all fuel necessarily passing through the sinuous upper uid-connection means 30d. Upon ignition of discharge froml the nozzle 31d, the flame is directed toward the upper fluidconnection means, so that the latter is effectively heated, especially by the relatively large expose-d surface thereof, to insure heating of the fuel and reliable combustion thereof.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 9, a lower fluid-connection means is generally designated 22e, being essentially similar -to the lower fluid-connection means 22d of FIGURES 7 and 8. A pair of conduits or tubes 26e are connected to and upstanding from opposite sides of the lower fluid-connection means 22e, having their upper ends connected together by an upper duid-connection means 39e, which may be a tube or pipe. A nozzle 31e upstands from the lower fluid-connection means 22e, discharging upwardly toward the upper fluid-connection means 30e, and there is a series liuid connection between a source of fuel supply, through leftward conduit 26e, upper fluid-connection means 30e, rightward conduit 26e, and upwardly discharging nozzle 31e. In the embodiment of FIGURE 9 there may be provided electrodes 47e, say carried by the lower fluid-connection means 22e, and extending proximate to the discharge end of nozzle 31e, for igniting a spray of fuel from the nozzle.

Carried by the upper fluid-connection means 30e may be a heat-retaining baffle 66, say in the form of a generally circular, substantially fiat plate of heat-conductive material, and disposed generally horizontally concentric relation spaced over the nozzle 31e. A clamp 67 may be fixed, as by welding or otherwise, to the underside of baille 66, and firmly circumposed about the upper duid-connection means 30e to mount the baille in place.

In operation, the baille 66 serves not only to retain heat for insuring reliable combustion, but also to limit the vertical extent of the llame, and provide a vaporizing surface for any droplets of unvaporized fuel.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a grove heater which fully accomplishes its intended objects and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture, installation and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modiiications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A grove heater comprising an upwardly facing pan, a lower T-shaped lluid conduit upstanding from said support and adapted for communication at its lower end with a source of fuel supply, at least a pair of gasifying conduits euch having one end connected in fluid communication with :t respective crossspart end ol? said lower T -shaped conduit and extending upward therefrom in laterally spaced relation with respect to each other, an upper T- shaped luid conduit having its cross-part ends connected in lluid communication with the upper ends of said gasifying conduits respectively, a nozzle having its inlet end connected in iluid communication with the lower upright part end of said upper T-shaped iluid conduit and having its discharge end opening into the space between said gasifying conduits for discharging said fuel into said Space, and an openwork container of heat-conductive material surrounding the discharge end of said noozle spaced between said gasifying conduits to provide a combustion chamber and radiating heat to said gasifying conduits, whereby the burning of discharge fuel effects heating of said gasiiying conduits for increased vaporization of fuel in said conduits.

2. A grove heater according to claim 1, said gasiying conduits comprising more than two and arranged in equiangular spaced relation with respect to each other.

3. A grove heater according to claim 1, said nozzle including an air inlet and having a plurali-ty of tangential passageway/s for conducting air toward the nozzle discharge in intimate commingling relation with the fuel, to assure clean burning of the fuel.

4. A grove heater according to claim 1, in combination with electric-arc-producing means mounted adjacent to the discharge end of said nozzle for igniting discharged fuel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,265,210 5/1918 Kahn 158e-71 1,266,959 5/1918 Klunk 158--66 1,276,160 8/1918 Atwood 158-66 1,501,950 7/1924 Humphrey 158--66 2,132,021 10/1938 Forster 126-595 X 2,217,777 10/1940 Tapie 126-595 X 2,260,548 10/1941 Veghte 158-66 3,280,883 10/1966 Jackson et al 158-5 JAMES W. WESTHAVER, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION Patent No. 3,391,683 July 9, 1968 Casimer M. Czarnecki It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the heading to the printed specification, lines 3 to 5, "assignor to General Precision Inc. Little Falls, N. J. should read assignor, by mesne` assignments, to Engelhard Minerals E, Chemical Corporation, Newark, N. J.,

Signed and sealed this 16th day of December 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

EdwardY M. Fletcher, Jr. WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, IR.

Attesting' Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A GROVE HEATER COMPRISING AN UPWARDLY FACING PAN, A LOWER T-SHPED FLUID CONDUIT UPSTANDING FROM SAID SUPPORT AND ADAPTED FOR COMMUNICATION AT ITS LOWER END WITH A SOURCE OF FUEL SUPPLY, AT LEAST A PAIR OF GASIFYING CONDUITS EACH HAVING ONE END CONNECTED IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH A RESPECTIVE CROSS-PART END OF SAID LOWER T-SHAPED CONDUIT AND EXTENDING UPWARD THEREFROM IN LATERALLY SPACED RELATION WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER, AN UPPER TSHAPED FLUID CONDUIT HAVING ITS CROSS-PART ENDS CONNECTED IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH THE UPPER ENDS OF SAID GASIFYING CONDUITS RESPECTIVELY, A NOZZLE HAVING ITS INLET END CONNECTED IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH THE LOWER UPRIGHT PART END OF SAID UPPER T-SHAPED FLUID CONDUIT AND HAVING ITS DISCHARGE END OPENING INTO THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID GASIFYING CONDUITS FOR DISCHARGING SAID FUEL INTO SAID SPACE, AND AN OPENWORK CONTAINER OF HEAT-CONDUIT MATERIAL SURROUNDING THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID NOZZLE SPACED BETWEEN SAID GASIFYING CONDUITS TO PROVIDE A COMBUSTION CHAMBER AND RADIATING HEAT TO SAID GASIFYING CONDUITS, WHEREBY THE BURNING OF DISCHARGE FUEL EFFECTS HEATING OF SAID GASIFYING CONDUITS FOR INCREASED VAPORIZATION OF FUEL IN SAID CONDUITS. 